Memory Lane: Cairo

Cairo city view

One member of my book club here in Dar (side note: I’m in a book club! Read Americanah, it’s so excellent.) recently moved to Cairo, and when I read that piece of news in my email this morning I was immediately transported back to my trip to Cairo last spring. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you- I went to Cairo last spring.

As part of our R&R (gov-mandated vacation in the middle of our tour), the Diploman and I traded in our full-fare ticket back to the US for a whirlwind four weeks that I call the ‘Trader’s Route Holiday’: Dar to Ethiopia to Cairo to Istanbul to Budapest to Ukraine.

Cairo City View 2

abu simbel entrance

That architecture- amazing, isn’t it? But, I digress. I will share details about the trip some other time, and for now, I just want to talk about the fact that Cairo is an amazing city!

What I remember most about Cairo were: the people (who talked a mile a minute, and were so friendly); the history (pyramids! ancient civilizations! hieroglyphics!); and the energetic frenzy (Sim City-like sounds of a working, living city). This last part especially I clung onto far after I left: the clamoring, banging, bustling city, milling with people, animals, cars, horns, radios, construction. With Cairo, I found this vibrant and positively energetic pace of life very unexpected–which is the best way to find things, right?!

Anyway, this morning, when I saw the email that someone moved to Cairo, I smelled and heard and felt the vibrant frenzy of the city. That’s all. Does that ever happen to you? Where certain locations (or scenarios: sounds, songs, expressions, tastes, visuals) just prick the tip of your sensory factors?

me in cairo

One thought on “Memory Lane: Cairo

  1. Hi! Its really lovely readibg your blog. . .just discovered it today while tryibg desperately to find out about life/living in Dar es Salaam. I am African American. My first trip to Africa was in 2013, Nigeria. Although very different than the US I fekt more at home there. Anywho from then til now I have been seeking a way to live reasonably comfortable on the continent for an extended period of time. Today I came across a position with an NGO that seems like something id like to pursue. Housing, food, laundry, a driver and INTERNT (LOL) would be provided. The pay is a little less than $1k per month. In your opinion is this enough to do extracurricular activities. ….for example visit Zanzibar or … ? Im also interested in taking language classes. Any insight or advice would be greatly apprecited. . .a little more about me. . .my children are adults and out on their own. I work for a nonprofit and live a VERY quite life. I am ready to expand my horizons and see what’s out there.
    OOOOHHHH AND YESSSSS. . .I am loving Americanah! Ive only got about 70 more pages and im already mourning the fact that it has come to an end. I love to read!

    Hope to hear from you.

    L

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